Her heart was thudding as if it were going to jump out of her ribcage.
Never in her life had Abigail expected to meet him again, but here she was, face to face with the man from six years ago.
Memories of that hot, steamy night began to flood her mind, and she quickly averted her gaze.
She pinched the side of her arm to calm her nerves, but her heart continued to race.
She wasn't ready to face whatever the universe was throwing at her, so she did the first thing that registered in her mind; Run! Carefully turning around, she took a first step when his voice made her stop dead in her tracks.
"Miss Anderson," he called, his deep baritone voice booming across the office walls.
Was that annoyance in his voice? Abigail halted in her tracks and slowly turned around only to be met with a pair of his annoyed gaze.
"Good afternoon, Mister William," she greeted with a grin, her heart in chaos.
She glanced at him, clinging to the hope that he probably didn't recognize her.
But he did.
William froze the moment his eyes landed on her. The pen in his hand slipped from his grip, rolling off the desk as his breath caught in his throat. His chest tightened, heartbeat suddenly louder, a steady drumbeat in his ears. For a moment, the room shrank, everything fading into the background except for her—Abigail, standing there as if she hadn't been missing from his life for seven long years. His lips parted, but no words came, only the widening of his eyes, a flicker of disbelief quickly chased by something deeper, something he had, in a futile attempt, tried to bury a long time ago.
A jolt of heat surged through him, his chest tightening as the air seemed to thin. His jaw clenched, and for a split second, the carefully maintained calm in his office cracked, letting in a flood of memories.
Excitement gushed over him, but he had never been one to give away his emotions.
Up close, the woman was a delightful sight! She looked so feminine now, or maybe it was because of the years apart? Either way, she appeared so irresistible!
She looked more curvier and her round mold looked bigger, proportionate.
Standing up to his feet, which was unlike him, he strode over to her; he was still unsure if she was real, or just a figment of his imagination.
Now that he was standing right in front of her, her skin looked pale… almost percelian. Her lips, just like he remembered, were full and red, and suddenly, he had an impulse to touch them. To take thenmn into his. To feel how it felt to the touch, and before he knew it, his long fingers were already caressing it.
Abigail's face turned a deep shade of red. She nervously pushed his hands away, flickering her lashes.
"Mr. William, I… I would appreciate it if you took a few steps back," she stuttered out.
His eyes were gleaming with mischief, making Abigail swallow.
She still couldn't wrap her head around the fact that the man she slept with was one of the most powerful men in the city. That explained it. That night, she had been drunk, but even in her state of drunkenness, she could still feel his blazing aura.
Williams's voice lowers as he leaned closer to her, his breath grazing her skin. "Are you sure you want me to leave?" His fingers brushed her hair aside, tucking it behind her shoulder, revealing her ear.
"That night…" his voice turned husky, sending an unmistakable shiver down her spine. "You didn't seem to mind being close then. In fact, you shamelessly seduced me."
Abigail bit down on the insides of her lip, trying to suppress the heat rising to her cheeks. He wasn't wrong. That night, fueled by too many drinks, she had been bold, reckless. But if anyone deserved to be blamed, it should be the alcohol, and not her.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she lied, her voice tight, refusing to give in to the memory he was bringing to life again…
William pulled back slightly, tilting his head as if to study her. His hands found their way to his pockets, his expression shifting from teasing to something more serious.
"Are you really going to pretend you don't remember? Or are you just trying to avoid responsibility for what you did?"
Abigail's pulse quickened. She had clearly underestimated this man's abilities. He had always had an infuriating way of getting under her skin. This man… so wealthy… so powerful… could have any woman he wanted. So why did he insist on tormenting her?
"I already told you, I don't know what you're talking about," she deadpanned, holding her voice steady despite the battle raging inside her.
"So this is what you do?" His eyes narrowed slightly, a smirk forming. "Seduce a man, lead him on, and then…?"
"I didn't seduce you," Abigail shot back, her tone sharp. "I was drunk, going through a rough time."
William let out a chilly but triumphant laugh, snapping his fingers. He was clearly enjoying watching her squirm. He had been searching for her for years, and now that he had her here, there was no way he was letting her escape his grasp again.
"So, you do remember what happened." His amusement was almost cruel, like a hunter toying with his prey.
Abigail winced inwardly. She had walked right into that one, letting her words slip without thinking. "So what if I remember?" She straightened up, her voice gaining an edge. "That doesn't mean I led you on. I was drunk. Blame the alcohol."
Since she was found out, she could only blame the alcohol.
"And it's not my fault you can't handle your alcohol," Williams shrugged, that infuriating grin still on his face.
Abigail's patience was growing thin. She had only come here for a meeting, why was she being lectured? "What are you?" She fired back, throwing her head back defiantly. "You took advantage of a drunk woman. How are you going to explain that?"
Williams' eyes darkened, a flicker of heat passing through them. "A feisty one," he thought, barely hiding his admiration.
He loved the way she held her ground, the way her eyes flashed with fury. Most people crumbled under his gaze, but not her, not this woman. She had this fire that only made him want her more.
"You seduced me," he countered, stepping closer, his voice lower now. "And then you left some cash on the table like I was some cheap man you paid off."
Abigail felt her face burn with embarrassment, remembering the bills she had left behind that morning. She had been so mortified, especially now that she knew exactly who he was.
"I was trying to take responsibility," she snapped, her eyes meeting his dark ones. "At least, I did that."
William chortled, running a hand through his hair, his gaze never leaving her. "I'm not criticizing you," he said, his voice softening just a fraction. "I'm telling you what you did was… stupid."
Abigail's eyes flared, anger sparking through her. He had called her stupid…again. The rumors about when we are true, Abigail thought. Proud… arrogant…infuriating.
It was a miracle her children didn't take after him.
She opened her to lash out, but before she could, Abigail's heart stopped cold. Children… their children! The thoughts hit her like a wave crashing over her. He didn't know. She had no idea they had children together.
Abigail's breath caught in her throat. She hadn't told him, hearing what he might think… does she was some good digger trying to trap in for his wealth. She didn't trust him, she didn't trust that he wouldn't take her children away.
William waved a hand in front of her face, pulling her back to the present. "Stop doing that," she warned.
"Don't tell me you were thinking about what happened between us that night," William retorted, his voice taunting, with an edge of curiosity